Conquering the Philippines through taste and travel

Bam-i, The Visayan Mixed Pancit

Here in Luzon a mixed guisado noodles of miki (fresh egg noodles) and bihon (thin rice noodles) is a pretty popular fare, while in Cebu and the rest of Visayas and Mindanao region, Bam-i is the more popular noodle mixture. Bam-i or as other Cebuanos would pronounce it – Bam-e, is a combination of canton (fried egg noodles) and sotanghon (thin mung-bean thread noodles). Some restaurants and carinderia would also use bihon instead of sotanghon which is cheaper but with almost alike texture. Just like miki-bihon, the combination of toppings and garnishing vary from chicken to pork, squid to bell peppers, beans to shrimps, but I am yet to see a soup version of Bam-i such as Pangasinan’s Pancit Sabaw or Bulacan’s Pancit Alanganin.

While I have tried it a number of times in Cebu, once in Bohol, once in Davao and another in CDO, I have only documented the experience during my last visit of Bacolod – at an emerging Cebuano restaurant chain – Chikaan at SM Bacolod. I find their version interesting since it was cooked and presented almost separately but on the same serving dish. While it is the norm that these noodles be mixed together thoroughly during the cooking process, theirs seemed to be cooked on the same kawali but on the opposite side of it. At Php.155 their serving good for 2-3 persons is affordably priced. Their version is a bit soupy and lightly flavored with some sparing pieces of chicken, shrimps, squid, gizzard and vegetables. It complements well with their viands such as Crispy Pata.

Cebu’s Bam-i available in bilao here in the Metro at Pancit Center. (Image courtesy of pancitcenter.com)

Here in Manila, Bam-i is served in bilao at Pancit Center in Pioneer St., Kapitolyo and Rosario, Pasig. Their guisado version is more like the traditional Cebuano version which is dry and cooked with chicken, mushrooms and shrimps spinkled with garlic crumbs and green onions. A party bilao order for 20 to 25 people is priced only at Php.970 while the smallest jr bilao for 2-3 persons is at Php.160. Get to try Bam-i and other 20+ different regional versions of pancit here in Manila at Pancit Center. For more details you may visit http://www.facebook.com/thePancitCenter/